Sport
21 January, 2026
‘Flying grocer’ explores his old field
THE grapevine delivered great news for David Jones in the final days of 2025.
Holidaying with family at Bridgewater, he heard about New Year’s Eve celebrations at the Inglewood Football Netball Club.
Perfect, he said, spending the last year reconnecting with communities that have been part of his life.
Now the owner of Mitre 10 in Stawell and the family owning several other stores across the Wimmera, David spent nine years in Inglewood until 1981 running Nixon’s grocers.
He lined up for Inglewood reserves in the Loddon Valley league, playing in the successful 1979 side.
“The Flying Grocer they called me, playing on the wing,” said David who had quickly donned a modern day Blues’ jumper on arriving at the celebrations.
On the wall, there he was in a team photograph, right above one of the junior teams with a young James Nevins in the front row, one of a handful of Nevins to play in the underage side that season.
David said he had visited the old grocery store, now an antiques and collectable shop, while staying in the area and popped around to St Mary’s Primary School.
Son Paul said: “I still remember walking from the shop around to school every day.”
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